Cardinals Baseball Goes 2-1 Over Bates

The baseball team traveled to Maine this past weekend and snatched two wins from Bates to win the three-game series. The Cardinals lost 13-5 on Saturday but came back strong on Sunday to sweep the doubleheader, by scores of 10-0 and 17-7 thanks to a flurry of hits. Every Wesleyan starter had a hit in both games on Sunday. Dusty Mones’ ’09 performance on the mound during the second game of the series earned him NESCAC Pitcher of the Week honors.

In the first game, Wesleyan surrendered the 4-0 lead it built up during the first inning. Bates stormed back with two runs in the second and seven more in the third on route to capturing the 13-5 victory. At the plate, Drew Dominguez ’09 and Brice Kelly ’10 both went 3-for-5, and Kelly notched two runs and two RBI. Leaving the field with a loss on Saturday gave the men motivation for Sunday’s doubleheader.

“We dropped a bad one on Friday, but proved that when we play as a team, as we did Sunday, we are very, very good,” said Jon Sheehan ’11.

In the first game, a seven-inning match, Mones pitched a complete game to lead the Cards to a 10-0 win. He allowed only two hits, facing 23 batters and recording four strikeouts. No Bates player advanced past second base in the contest. In contrast, every Wesleyan starter had a hit, and the men scored one run in each of the first three innings, with two more in the fourth. 

In the first frame, Julian Sonnenfeld ’11 was walked before stealing second base and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Kelly was walked and Justin Freres ’11 singled to left field, driving in Sonnenfeld for an RBI. In the second, Jeff Bizinkauskas ’10 walked and stole second. Dominguez singled and Bizinkauskas scored as Wesleyan took a 2-0 lead. Sonnenfeld was involved in the third inning as well, as he singled to center field before stealing second. Kelly drove him in with a double. With two more runs in the fourth and one in the sixth, the men were well on their way to a victory. They capped off the seventh inning with four runs to further secure the win, as Bizinkauskas hit a two-run homerun. Sonnenfeld went 2-for-2 in the game, scoring three runs and getting a RBI.

In the final game of the series, Wesleyan continued its scoring run with a six-spot in the first inning. Alex Meadow ’12 and Garrett Lamborn ’09 were at the head of the pack with four hits and three hits, respectively, while Derek Dettorre ’11 notched four RBI. By the time Bates was able to score, Wesleyan was already ahead 10-0. The Cardinals never trailed by more than eight runs. The Cards proved to be a force to reckon with after taking this game 17-7 in Maine, and going 2-1 in the series.

Mones is the fourth Wesleyan player this season to be recognized by the NESCAC. His performance in the second game of the series was his first career shutout in 23 starts.

Despite these wins, Wesleyan dropped in the NESCAC West standings. The Cards sit at third with a 5-3 conference record, behind Williams (6-2) and Amherst (7-3). This weekend’s upcoming series against Williams is crucial to the team’s playoff hopes.

“Our series against Williams, to use football terms, is [going to] be a dogfight,” said Bizinkauskas. “Each team knows what’s at stake, and there’s no love lost between us.”

Wednesday’s game against Eastern Connecticut State was canceled so the team is looking ahead to the Ephs, with first place at stake. There is a doubleheader in Middletown on Saturday before the teams meet up in Williamstown, Mass. for a third game on Sunday.